Bag for umbrella

ABSTRACT

A bag for carrying and storing an umbrella includes an elongated, tubular sleeve portion with an open end and a closed end defining an interior sized to accommodate the umbrella. The opened end can receive the umbrella lengthwise into the interior. Attached to the closed end can be an end cap having a central drainage aperture disposed therethrough. The drainage aperture can sealingly engage with an elongated tip on the umbrella to retain moisture from the umbrella within the interior of the bag. The umbrella tip can be selectively removed from and inserted into the drainage aperture to selectively seal and unseal the drainage aperture. In some embodiments, a sealing gasket can be disposed in the end cap to facilitate sealing of the drainage aperture.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the priority benefit of FIELD et al., U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/488,534, filed on May 20, 2011, entitled “BAG FOR UMBRELLA,” the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, including any references therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Umbrellas are widely used to keep people protected from rain, snow and other inclement weather. Umbrellas include a collapsible fabric cover that, when opened, can be held overhead to shelter the user from precipitation, and that, when collapsed, forms a narrow staff-like shape that can be taken indoors and/or easily stored away. If the umbrella is wet, however, it will often drip when brought indoors making a mess and otherwise being inconvenient. To store the wet umbrella when collapsed, a flexible sleeve may be provided into which the umbrella can be inserted. However, these sleeves are often made of a thin, inexpensive material that may still leak, are prone to being lost and are otherwise inconvenient when not in use, and maybe relatively unattractive.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A carrying bag for accommodating, storing and carrying an umbrella, including when the umbrella is wet, includes an tubular sleeve portion defining an interior for receiving the umbrella. The tubular sleeve portion has an opened first end and a closed second end. An end cap is attached to and encloses the second end. To permit water from a wet umbrella placed in the interior to exit the bag, the end cap has a drainage aperture disposed through it. To prevent the unintentional leakage of water from the bag, for instance when the bag is carried indoors, the drainage aperture is configured to sealingly engage with an elongated tip of the umbrella.

In a preferred embodiment, the bag is designed and constructed to be a high quality fashion item with a stylistic appearance. To this end, the bag may include several aesthetic and functional features. For example, the sleeve portion of the bag can be made from a three-ply, durable material that is water resistant to retain water in the interior. Grommets can be disposed through the sleeve portion to vent the interior and dry the umbrella. To facilitate carrying of the bag, an adjustable belt with a releasable buckle can be attached to it. A flexible spine can be incorporated along the length of the bag to provide some rigidity or stiffness but still also allow the bag to be bent or collapsed when not in use.

A possible advantage of the bag is that it can accommodate a wet umbrella without leaking when carried indoor or to other dry locations. Another possible advantage is that the bag includes a drainage aperture that can be selectively sealed or unsealed to permit selective discharge of water from the interior of the bag. Yet another possible advantage is that the bag may exude a stylish, fashionable and/or durable appearance. These and other advantages and features will be apparent from the included drawings and the detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of the bag for receptively accommodating an umbrella including a strap and buckle that may used to assist in carrying the bag.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the bag including grommets that may be included to vent the interior of the bag to assist in drying the umbrella.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an embodiment of a type of umbrella sometimes referred as an executive umbrella in its opened state.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the opened first end of the bag into which the umbrella can be inserted.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the closed second end of the bag including the end cap which defines the drainage aperture.

FIG. 6 is a transparent perspective view of the end cap including a tapered bore component, a bottom wall component and a sealing gasket located therebetween.

FIG. 7 is an assembly view of the end cap including the tapered bore component, the sealing gasket and the bottom wall component as they may be assembled together.

FIG. 8 is a three-dimensional perspective view of the tapered bore component of the end cap.

FIG. 9 is a three-dimensional wire model of the bottom wall component.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing gasket illustrating a possible lip seal construction of the sealing gasket.

FIG. 11 is an assembly view of another embodiment of an end cap configured to receive a plug in the drainage aperture.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the multi-plied material for the sleeve portion of the bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like features, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 a sleeve-like bag 100 for accommodating an umbrella 102 such as the one illustrated in FIG. 3. The illustrated umbrella 102, which may be of the type sometimes referred to as an executive umbrella, includes a fabric cover 104 which is supported over a shaft 106 and which may collapse about the shaft when not in use. Unlike most telescoping umbrellas, executive style umbrellas often include an elongated, narrow, rod-like tip 108 that protrudes beyond the fabric cover 104 even when the cover is opened. Hence, the rod-like tip 108 forms the distal-most portion of the umbrella 102 when collapsed. Disposed at the opposite end of the umbrella is a handle 109 which, when collapsed, may be the only or most significant portion of the umbrella not covered by the cover 104.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bag 100 includes an elongated, tubular sleeve portion 110 having an opened first end 112 and a closed second end 114 and which defines an interior for receiving the umbrella. The bag may have a flexible or pliable characteristic to conform to the inserted umbrella can be made from any suitable material including a preferred material describe herein. The length of the sleeve portion 110 between the opened first end 112 and the closed second end 114 may correspond to the length of the umbrella such that, when inserted, the handle 109 is only portion of the umbrella to protrude from the opened first end 112 100 while the tip 108 is proximate the closed second end 114.

To insert the collapsed umbrella into the interior of the bag, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the opened first end 112 defines an opening 116 that can be roughly of the same diameter or size as the collapsed umbrella. Disposed about the rim of the opening 116 may be a piece of trim 120 that can be cuffed about the opening and secured thereto by, for example, stitching. The trim 120 can be made of leather or other stylish material. To facilitate insertion of the umbrella, a piece of resilient wire 122 or fishing line may be disposed underneath the trim 120 about the circumference of the opening 116. The resilient wire 122 can maintain the opening 116 roughly in its illustrated circular shape but is also malleable to enable the opening 116 to collapse when the bag 100 is not in use or distort about the inserted umbrella and may also provide a resilient force that helps secure the umbrella within the bag.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated the closed second end 114 of the bag including an end cap 130 which is attached to and encloses the bottom end of the tubular sleeve portion 110. The end cap 130 may be attached to the sleeve portion by any suitable means, including adhesive or by heat sealing to the material of the sleeve portion. For aesthetic reasons, another piece of trim 134 made from leather or a similar stylish material may be disposed about the closed second end 114 and the end cap by, for example, stitching. To enable water to exit the interior of the bag when a wet umbrella is placed therein, the end cap 130 defines a drainage aperture 132 which is disposed through the end cap to access the interior.

To prevent water from unintentionally exiting the bag when, for example, the bag is brought indoors, the drainage aperture 132 can be configured to sealingly engage with the tip of the umbrella. As mentioned above, the length of the bag 100 generally corresponds to the length of the umbrella so that the tip of the umbrella is located proximate the closed second end 114 of the bag when the umbrella is inserted. The drainage aperture 132 may be centrally disposed through the end cap 130 so as to correspond to the location of the tip when the umbrella is inserted. Additionally, the circumference of the drainage aperture may be sized to sealingly mate with the tip, either by abutting against or sliding receiving the tip. Hence, the tip can block water from the interior of the bag from exiting through the drainage aperture 114. Further, a user can selectively release water from the interior by slightly removing an inserted umbrella upward from the bag to unseal the drainage aperture and then fully reinserting the umbrella to sealingly engage the tip and the drainage aperture.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, an embodiment of the construction of the end cap 130 is illustrated which facilitates sealing of the drainage aperture 132. The end cap 130 may include a tapered bore component 140 (also illustrated in FIG. 8), a bottom wall component 150 (also illustrated in FIG. 9), and a sealing gasket 160 (also illustrated in FIG. 10). The tapered bore component 140 may be generally cylindrical with a slight outer taper and may be made from a rigid material such as, for example, injection molded or machined plastic. By way of example, the length and general diameter of the tapered bore component may be on the order of about 3 inches and 1.825 inches, respectively. To facilitate engagement of the umbrella tip with the drainage aperture, the tapered bore component 140 may define an internal bore 142 that tapers slightly from an upper end 144 of the component 140 towards a lower end 145 of the component. Hence, as the umbrella is inserted into the bag, the internal bore 142 assists in aligning the tip with the drainage aperture 132. In various embodiments, the angle of the taper may increase with the depth of the bore.

The bottom wall component 150 is attached to the tapered bore component 140 and provides a flat, bottom surface 152 which, when end cap is attached to the sleeve portion, protrudes slight from the sleeve portion. The bottom wall component 150 thereby provides both an aesthetically pleasing appearance and a flat surface upon which the bag can be vertically supported in an upright position or vertically leaned against a wall. The bottom wall component 150 can include circular bosses and grooves 156 that axially engage with corresponding, concentrically arranged, circular bosses and grooves 146 on the tapered bore component 140 to mate the two components together. The bottom wall component 150 can also be joined to the tapered bore component 140 by any other suitable means such as adhesive, ultrasonic welding, engagable threads formed on the two components, threaded fasteners, dowel pins and the like. The drainage aperture 132 is centrally disposed through the bottom wall component 150.

To further assist in sealing the bag, a sealing gasket 160 can be placed within or proximate to the drainage aperture 132 and between the joined tapered bore component 140 and the bottom wall component 150. The sealing gasket 160 may be shaped as an annular ring or washer with a circular center hole 162 and may be made from an elastomeric or semi-flexible material. The sealing gasket can be made from any suitable material such as natural or synthetic rubber or a relatively soft plastic. The mating boss and grooves 146, 156 on the tapered bore component and the bottom wall component 150 can also be shaped and sized to provide a gasket seat for receiving and maintaining the sealing gasket 160 in position.

The center hole 162 can be sized to slidingly receive at least a portion of the umbrella tip and can urge against the umbrella tip to for a water-tight seal. In an embodiment, the sealing gasket 160 can include an annular groove concentrically disposed about the center hole 162 which provides a lip seal structure to the sealing gasket. As can be appreciated by those of skill in the art, when the umbrella tip is inserted through the center hole 162, the portion of the sealing gasket 164 inside the annular groove 162 can displace outwardly and urge back against the tip. Such a lip seal structure may prolong the life of the sealing gasket.

Referring to FIG. 11, there is illustrated another embodiment of the end cap 180 adapted to receive a plug 184 through the drainage aperture 182 if the bag 100 is used with an umbrella that lacks rod-like tip. The end cap 180 can include a taper bore component 186 and bottom wall component 188 that are joined together by any suitable method and can be fitted or attached to the bottom end of the bag. The drainage aperture 182 is disposed through a bottom wall 190 of the bottom wall component 188 at a central location to be axially aligned with the tubular shaped bag. To seal the drainage aperture 182 if used with umbrellas lacking tips, the plug 184 can include a protruding post 192 extending from a circular disk-like base member 194. The post 192 can have a shape and size complementary to the drainage aperture 182 so as to make an interference fit with the drainage aperture and seal moisture in the bag interior. To facilitate the interference fit, the post 192 can be formed from a soft, malleable material such as natural or synthetic rubber and can include an undercut 196 disposed about midway along its length that is adapted to engage with the inner rim defining the drainage aperture 182. When the plug 184 is removed, moisture in the interior can drain through the drainage aperture 182. To retain the plug 184 with the bag, a chain or string can link the base member to the end cap 182. In a further feature, the illustrated embodiment of the end cap 180 can have a protruding flange 190 encircling the bottom edge of the bottom wall component 188 which has a slightly larger diameter than the rest of the bottom wall component and/or the distal end of the taper bore component. Because of the larger diameter, the protruding flange 190 can help prevent the end cap 180 from pulling back through the second end of the tubular sleeve portion when an umbrella is removed from a bag and an umbrella tip is removed from the drainage aperture.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bag 100 may include various other features that facilitate its use. For example, a plurality of grommets 170 or eyelets may be disposed along the length of the tubular sleeve portion 110 to access and vent the interior of the bag 100 to the environment. These grommets 170 assist in drying the interior of the bag and an umbrella placed therein. For aesthetic purposes, the grommets 170 can be made from or to appear as polished or plated metals. To assist in carrying the bag 100, an adjustable belt 172 and releasable buckle 174 can be included and can extend between the opened first end 112 and the closed second end 114 of the sleeve portion 110. The adjustable belt 172 and buckle 174 allows the bag to be carried over the shoulder of a user. When not in use, the adjustable belt 172 can be tightened to lie adjacent along the length of the bag. In an embodiment, to provide the bag 100 with partial structural rigidity, an elongated, rod-like spine 176 can be incorporated into the sleeve portion 110 along the interior and can extend between the opened first end 112 and the closed second end 114. The spine can be made from a flexible but resilient material, such as fiberglass or plastic, so that the bag can bend or be folded over itself but will return to its normal, elongated linear shape. The shape memory of the spine allows for manipulating the shape of the bag for storage while also facilitating insertion of an umbrella into the straightened, linear bag.

To provide an aesthetically pleasing and durable appearance, in a preferred embodiment the sleeve portion 110 of the bag can be comprised of a multilayer or multi-plied materials and in particular the three-plied material 200 as illustrated in FIG. 12. The innermost layer or inner ply 202, which when the bag is constructed will line the interior, can be made of a water resistant material such as water proof nylon. Thus, when a wet umbrella is inserted into the bag, the inner ply 202 will trap the water inside the bag and direct it toward the drainage aperture. The outer ply 204, which will form the exterior of the assembled bag, can be made from a relatively more visually pleasing material such as, for example, pylon, vinyl or leather. In various embodiments, the outer ply 204 can include various patterns or images. Disposed between the inner and outer plies 202, 204, can be a layer of padding 206 such as fibrous filler material that may enhance the perceived and actual durability of the bag. All the materials can be flexible or pliable so that the bag can conform to the shape of an inserted umbrella and can be collapsed or folded over itself for storage when not in use. In embodiments including the spine, the spine can be disposed between the inner and outer plies 202, 204. In other embodiments, the sleeve portion 110 can be made from other materials such as leather, vinyl or canvas.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. 

1. A bag for an umbrella, comprising: an elongated tubular sleeve portion having an opened first end and a closed second end, the sleeve portion defining an interior for receiving the umbrella via the first end; an end cap attached to and enclosing the closed second end, the end cap having a drainage aperture disposed therethrough; wherein the drainage aperture is configured to engage an elongated tip of the umbrella.
 2. The bag of claim 1, further comprising a sealing gasket proximate the drainage aperture, the sealing gasket having an annular shape and comprised of an elastomeric or semi-flexible material, the sealing gasket defining a center hole for permitting moisture from the interior to exit the bag; the sealing gasket configured to at least partially receive the tip of the umbrella in the center hole to generally seal the interior.
 3. The bag of claim 2, wherein the end cap is generally cylindrical with a partially tapered bore disposed therein, the bore oriented toward the opened first end of the sleeve portion and terminating at a bottom-most wall, the drainage aperture disposed through the bottom-most wall; the bore configured to receive a distal end of the umbrella.
 4. The bag of claim 3, wherein the tubular sleeve portion is a multi-ply material including a water-resistant inner ply, an outer ply, and a padding between the inner ply and the outer ply.
 5. The bag of claim 4, wherein the tubular sleeve portion includes an elongated rod-like spine extending from proximate the opened first end to proximate the closed second end; the spine comprising a resilient material configured to enable the tubular sleeve portion to bend form a normal, elongated tubular shape.
 6. The bag of claim 1, further including a plug for reception in the drainage aperture to seal the interior.
 7. The bag of claim 1, further comprising a belt with a releasable buckle extending between the opened first end and the closed second end. 